Improvement in ruffling attachments for sewing-machines



j l '.l. G. POWELL. RufflingAtta'chment for Sewing-Machines. No, 131,300. y Patented sep.1o,1s72.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN e.. POWELL, OE PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN RUFFLING ATTACHMENTS FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

Speeication forming part of Letters Patent No. 131,300, dated September l0, 1872.

4 ments may be applied to anyA sewing-machine now in use, the one shown in the drawing being simply selected for present convenience.

The object of my invention is to sew and gather or ruffle simultaneously; and my invention consists in an improved rufiing or gathering attaehm ent, connected only with the presser-foot of the machine and operated by the needle-bar, as hereinafter more fully described.

I have shown inthedrawing a stud projecting from the needle-bar, (see f, Fig. l.) which, on the down-motion of said bar, de-

presses the plate-spring E and extends the ruffler-plate (l.` When the needle-bar rises the rufder-plate is retracted and the rufliing-feed effected by the recoil of the spiral spring G. B is a guide-plate attached to the inner side of the presser-foot A, and in which the ruflerplate traverses, as hereinafter more fully described. The rufier-plate Gis a strip of metal eut along its length so that the back part fits snugly in the guide B, while the front part of it rests against the under side of the presserfoot; and, to 'secure a proper pressure of the rufder-plate against the presser-foot, the outer end of the ruftler-plate bears against a wedgeshaped piece, b. The front edge oi' the rufderplate is flush with the front edge of the presserfoot. On the inner front corner of the rufderplate is mounted a slotted stud-piece, D, having a set-screw, d, for a purpose to be presently described. To the heel of the presserfoot A one end of a plate-sprin g, E, is attached,

and the other end of the plate-spring bears against the stud-piece D. The plate-spring is thus arched so that its center is `under the stud f onl the needle-bar F. It will now be seen that by moving the stud-piece toward or from the-heel of the presser-foot the exure of the plate-spring will be greater or less, and the consequent travel of the ruffler-plate in the guide or the rufder-feed increased or diminished, thus determining the closeness of the ruftling. The set-screw d serves to hold the stud-piece in the desired position. A spiral spring, G, is attached by one end to the instep of the presser-foot, and by the other -end to that part of the ruffler-plate C which plays in the guide B.

The fabric to be ruflied is placed between the presser-foot and the rufler-plate, and the operation of the machine is as follows: As the needle passes through the cloth the stud on the needle-bar depresses the plate-spring E, thereby extending the rufiier-plate, as shown in Fig. 3. Upon the rise of the needle and the release of the plate-sprin g, the spiral spring G retracts the ruftler-plate suddenly and more rapidly than the machine feeds the cloth, and thus producesthe gather or ruflie.

It will be seen that by this construction of my improved presser-foot ruffier the entire device is only connected with, and is raised and lowered with, the presser-foot, and the machine can be used for plain work without detaching any of the parts, or for rufding without any chan ge other than placing the fabric upon the rudder-plate. Y

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The reciprocating ruffiing-plate and its connecting-springs, arranged on the presserfoot, as described, and operated by the needle bar.

2. The combination, with the above, of the adjusting device for governing the extent of movement of the rufding-plate.

JOHN G. POWELL.

In presence of- WM. B. DAYTON, J. SNOWEEN BELL. 

